100 Basic Medical Terms

Front 1

Abduction

Back 1

The movement of a limb away from the midline of the body

Front 2

-Algia

Back 2

Pain in a specific part of body

Front 3

Apnea

Back 3

Absence of breathing

Front 4

Adduction

Back 4

Movement of a limb toward the midline of the body (movement towards the kidney)

Front 5

Annular

Back 5

Ring shaped (circular)

Front 6

Aphasia

Back 6

No speech, defects in spoken expression or comprehension of speech.

Front 7

Arrhythmia

Back 7

Abnormal heart rhythm

Front 8

Ascites

Back 8

Abnormal accumulation of fluid within the abdomen

Front 9

Aural/auricular

Back 9

Ear shaped or pertaining to the outer ear

Front 10

Auscultate

Back 10

To listen, for diagnostic purposes to the sound made by the internal organs of the body

Front 11

Axilla

Back 11

Armpit

Front 12

Borborygmi

Back 12

Rumbling sounds caused by movement of gas through the intestine "stomach growling"

Front 13

Brady

Back 13

Slow

Front 14

Bruit

Back 14

Abnormal sound generated by turbulent flow of blood in an artery

Front 15

Bulla

Back 15

Fluid-filled blister more than 5mm in diameter

Front 16

Cachexia

Back 16

General physical wasting with loss of weight and muscle mass due to disease AKA marasmus

Front 17

Caudal

Back 17

Pertaining to the tail or the hind part

Front 18

Cephalad

Back 18

Towards the head or anterior section

Front 19

Cerumen

Back 19

Yellowish waxy substance secreted in the ear cana (ear wax)

Front 20

Costochondral

Back 20

Relating to or joining a rib and costal cartilage

Front 21

Crural

Back 21

Relating to the leg or thigh

Front 22

Cyanotic

Back 22

Bluish discoloration of the skin & mucous membranes due to not enough oxygen

Front 23

Diplopia

Back 23

Condition in which a single object appears as two objects (double vision)

Front 24

Distended

Back 24

Enlarged, bloated

Front 25

Dorsal

Back 25

Relating to the back or posterior of a structure

Front 26

Dys-

Back 26

Bad or difficult

Front 27

Dyspnea

Back 27

Difficult or labored breathing (SOB)

Front 28

Ecchymosis

Back 28

Non raised skin discoloration caused by the escape of blood into the tissue from ruptured blood vessels

Front 29

-Ectomy

Back 29

Resection

Front 30

Edema

Back 30

Accumulation of excessive fluid

Front 31

Effusion

Back 31

Escape of fluid from the blood vessels or lymphatics into tissues or cavity

Front 32

Emesis

Back 32

Vomitting

Front 33

Endogenous

Back 33

Produced within or caused by factors within an organism, tissue or cell

Front 34

Epistaxis

Back 34

Nose bleed

Front 35

Erythematous

Back 35

Abnormal redness of the skin that results from capillary congestion

Front 36

-Esthesia

Back 36

Feeling, perception, or sensation

Front 37

Eversion

Back 37

Turning outward (inside out)

Front 38

Exogenous

Back 38

Originating from outside the organism

Front 39

Exudate

Back 39

A mass of cells & fluid that has seeped out of blood cells or an organ, especially in inflammation

Front 40

Fasciculation

Back 40

Localized twitching of a muscle group, most often idiopathic and benign

Front 41

Febrile

Back 41

Feverish

Front 42

Fibrosis

Back 42

Formation of fibrous tissue as a reparative or reactive process

Front 43

Fissure

Back 43

A cleft or groove

Front 44

Fistula

Back 44

An abnormal connection between an organ, vessel, or intestine and another structure

Front 45

Heme-

Back 45

Deep red oxygen-carrying, non protein, ferrous component of hemoglobin

Front 46

Hemoptysis

Back 46

Act of coughing up blood

Front 47

Holo-

Back 47

Whole, entire, complete

Front 48

Hyper-

Back 48

High, beyond, excessive, above normal

Front 49

-Ectopic

Back 49

Located away from normal position, out of place, as an organ not in its proper position

Front 50

Hypo-

Back 50

Low, under, beneath, down or below normal

Front 51

Iatrogenic

Back 51

Illness caused by medical examination or treatment

Front 52

Inguinal

Back 52

Pertaining to the groins

Front 53

Inversion

Back 53

Turning inward

Front 54

-Itis

Back 54

Inflammation

Front 55

Rubor

Back 55

Redness

Front 56

-Rrhea

Back 56

Flow or b discharge

Front 57

Pustule

Back 57

Collection of pus in the top layer of skin

Front 58

Purulent

Back 58

Containing or composed of Pus

Front 59

Pruitis

Back 59

Itching

Front 60

Protuberant

Back 60

Bulging, protruding

Front 61

Prone

Back 61

Position with the front surface down

Front 62

Pneumo

Back 62

Relating to the presence of air or gas

Front 63

Percuss

Back 63

To strike sharply, rapidly, or suddenly with the fingertips to aid in diagnosis or for therapeutic purposes

Front 64

Pendulous

Back 64

Hanging down loosely

Front 65

Patent

Back 65

Open, unobstructed, or not closed

Front 66

Papule

Back 66

A solid, rounded growth that is elevated from the skin (less than 1cm)

Front 67

Palpate

Back 67

To touch or feel

Front 68

Palpitation

Back 68

Unpleasant sensations of irregular and / or forceful beating of the heart

Front 69

-Pathy

Back 69

Condition or disease: used to designate a non inflammatory condition

Front 70

-Osis

Back 70

Increase in a pathological condition

Front 71

Nystagmus

Back 71

Rapid, rhythmic, repetitious, and involuntary eye movement

Front 72

Myalgia

Back 72

Muscular pain

Front 73

Maceration

Back 73

Softening of the tissue after death by autolysis

Front 74

Macule

Back 74

A circumscribed change in the color of the skin that is neither raised nor depressed

Front 75

Lichenification

Back 75

Thick, leathery skin, ususally the result of constant scratching and rubbing